In a constant undertaking towards the replacement of costly natural materials or the reproduction of original fragrance notes, the perfume industry devotes a treat deal of efforts to synthesize new odoriferous compounds starting from easily available raw materials.
Several alkyl-substituted lactones, more specifically those lactones substituted with a linear alkyl radical, have been proposed in the past as perfuming ingredients. As an example, one can cite delta-undecalactone which is characterized by its powerful fatty, creamy and peach-like odour of excellent tenacity--see S. Arctander, Perfumes and Flavor Chemicals, Montclair N.J. 1969; Section 3025--, as well as delta-decalactone and delta-dodecalactone which are both appreciated in the field of perfumery for their strong and tenacious odour of fruity, nutty, oily and creamy type--see S. Arctander, op. cit.; Sections 829 and 1103, respectively.
We have surprisingly found that, contrary to the teaching of the art, the compounds of formula (I), viz, 3-cyclohexyl-pentanolide and 4-cyclohexyl-pentanolide, basically differ from the above prior known lactones in respect of their odouriferous properties and that they could be advantageously used in the field of perfumery, as ingredients for the preparation of perfume compositions for example.